THE most shocking Christmas advert of 2017 has been released with its brutal killing of an elephant by ivory poachers.

WWF released the heartbreaking film showing the elephant being gunned down and left butchered on the ground to highlight the plight of these vanishing giants.

The awful scenes of slaughter are reflected through an elephant's tearful eye by using computer generated imagery, and brings home to viewers how the largest land creatures on Earth are "Just Like Us".

The minute-long advert goes on general release today on national television with the frank message that 55 elephants are being killed every 24 hours for their tusks.

Fighting to save the animals has also cost the lives of 740 wildlife rangers since 2009.

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The impact of poaching not only threatens the future of elephants, but it is strongly felt among them and leaves a lasting impression

Tanya Steele - chief executive of WWF

Yet with lure of trafficking wildlife bringing in £15 billion a year to criminal networks, scenes like the one played out in the CGI advert are all too realistic.

To a poignant sound track by renowned screen composer Max Richter, shocked viewers witness watch the moment poachers chase an elephant herd across the African savannah, firing shots and then leaving a fallen animal with its tusks ripped away.

Piles of tusks in a shipping container ready to be turned into trinkets and vast amounts of money being counted emphasise the profits and the global extent of ivory smuggling.

Each scene is punctuated with a blink of an elephant's tearful eye and comes with a stark message: "Like us, elephants feel complex emotions."

TIME BASED ARTS / WWF-UK

The moment an elephant is slaughtered for its tusks in new Christmas ad

Tanya Steele, chief executive of WWF explains: "Like all of us, elephants vary in many characteristics, emotions and personalities.

"The impact of poaching not only threatens the future of elephants, but it is strongly felt among them and leaves a lasting impression.

"Time and time again we see elephants grieve for those tragically killed.

"Carved into trinkets and ornaments and illegally sold for huge sums of money globally, their stolen tusks are in high demand and more African elephants are now being poached than born.

TIME BASED ARTS / WWF-UK

The elephant sees the tusks

"This cannot go on and we're dedicated to galvanising efforts to put a stop to the trade globally, but we can't do it alone.

"Generous donations from the public make up the majority of our funds and we urgently need support to continue our work to help protect elephants and tackle the illegal wildlife trade wherever it takes place in the world.

"It's our hope this Christmas that this striking film will move people enough to join us."

The advert, written and produced by All Mighty Pictures and with ultra realistic CGI rendering by Time Based Arts, finishes on a positive note.

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Final scenes show dedicated rangers moving in and capturing a poacher with a final message: "We need your help."

WWF says it is working tirelessly to ensure rangers and community-based organisations, in some of the world's poorest countries such as Kenya and Tanzania, receive the essential training and equipment they need to do their job effectively and stay safe from harm.

The charity is also working to strengthen laws and enforcement, and reduce demand worldwide to combat the illegal trade in ivory.

This year's advert follows on from the success of WWF's Christmas commercial in 2016 which featured a CGI tiger that comes to stay with a suburban family after being injured.

To watch Just Like Us or to make a donation to help protect wildlife, search WWF JOIN US or visit: support.wwf.org.uk/justlikeus.